We all know why we’re here, we all understand how agentic commerce will change the game. But how does that impact on the customer experience? Well, the customer is no longer human – and that matters. Let me explain why you need to consider running an Agentic Agility audit…
The funnel is no more…
No customer journeys. Just intent and order. The customer is now an algorithm and that requires a shift in positioning. If you’re in CX, that should grab your attention. Because the thing you need to influence is no longer a person. It’s software.
Why this matters now
AI agents live inside big platforms. Users are getting lazy in a very specific way:
“Let them do it.” They say to themselves. Once people trust the agent for one purchase, they’ll trust it for the rest. So, the game changes. You’re not fighting for attention in a banner ad. You’re fighting for a slot in an AI’s shortlist.
Where does that leave you?
Trying to keep a direct relationship with someone who increasingly never shows up.
Only their agent does. So, the game becomes this: How do you sell to an algorithm obsessed with price, performance, and risk?
Awareness, consideration, purchase – all squashed into one decision step inside the agent. Remember, it walks through where the money goes first:
Retail. Travel. Subscriptions. B2B procurement. Anywhere the choice is messy and repetitive, the agent will take over. It then looks at how business models shift. Pricing. Bundles. Loyalty. All get redesigned for AI that ‘learns’ how to provide lifetime value.
The new game: Winning over the agent
Making ‘receptionist gatekeepers’ look like Mary Poppins since (what time is it now)? When humans bought, you sold with stories and emotion.
When agents ‘buy’, you must sell with data and structure. Your product feed becomes your pitch. Clean attributes. Clear guarantees. Reliable stock, no quibble refund policies and clear delivery promises.
If your information is vague, the agent will ignore you. If your terms are fuzzy, the agent doesn’t take the risk. It exists to do a good job for its customer, the human. So, we are moving from human‑centric messaging to machine‑readable value. Sales enablement isn’t just decks and talk tracks anymore.
It’s schemas, SLAs, and performance history. We also look at trust and policy.
Here are three key actions to take:
1. Rethink the sales process
If the buyer is half human, half algorithm, your sales team must be the same. AI that understands ranking logic. AI for product and data teams. AI scraped SLAs. You need governance, not just enthusiasm. You need clarity, not creativity.
2. Get ‘agent‑ready’
Make your product catalogue agent‑friendly: Structured data. Consistent pricing. Clear constraints. Plug into agent ecosystems: Marketplaces. Search platforms. Enterprise procurement tools.
3. Perform a ‘double bubble’
Let agents handle the routine orders. Let humans handle edge cases: Complex deals, and upselling opportunities. Think of it like this: The agent gets the standard order through the door. Your people grow it and, for example, increase spend per head. The best of both worlds.
A simple plan for CX professionals in 2026
Run an ‘Agentic Agility’ audit. Where do agents already touch your funnel? (Yonk!) Where is your data a mess? Where are the quick wins? What does your future look like now, and what needs to change?
Design your agentic channel strategy. Where do you embrace platform agents? Where does it make more sense to build your own agents? How do you preserve the direct ‘human’ customer relationship?
Pilot, measure, scale. Treat this like a three‑year test programme, not a gimmick.
And it ends with a picture of what “agentic‑first” looks like in three years’ time. As AI increases its capability exponentially every 18 months, this will change dramatically. But at least you’re in the game, not sat on the bench.
To recap: Orders will start with a human sentence to an AI agent. Not a click on an ad leading to a ‘funnel’. Some will complain it’s all too complicated. They’re right. It is complicated. That’s why the smartest cookies will review and make changes now.
Quick links
- AI search and loyalty: Why the first question matters more than the last purchase
- The moment AI decides in CX and why leaders still own the outcome
- When your customer is a machine: Rethinking service design for AI agents